FIRE BRIGADE’S SERVICES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16741, 23 December 1914, Page 9

FIRE BRIGADE’S SERVICES.

THE REGENT OUTBREAK AT FENDALTON. STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN CFF BOARD The Fire Brigade has been criticised in some quarters for its failure to attend tlu> outbreak at Fer.dalton on Friday afternoon, by which Mr IV. B. Gowlishaw’s ten-roomed residence was destroyed. Tll reply to the criticism, the chairman of the Christchurch Fire Board. Mr A. Williams, has forwarded the following statement to the “Lyttelton Times”’:— In inference to tho fire on Mr W. B. Oowlisliaw's propei-ty at Fondalton on I Friday evening last, for which tho bri- | gade received a call from 4‘J. Leinster I Road, at 4.20 p.m., the St Albans on- < gino and the Christchurch engine went I out, to find that the pi’opc-rty was be- | yond tho city boundary, and both appliances returned to their respective stations. Tho Christchurch Fire Brigade is only empowered under the Act for the purposes of protection for the city of ; Christchurch, tho funds being subscrib--1 ed equally between ratepayers and insurance companies, Under the circumstances, the brigade had no authority for going beyond the city boundary, and cannot do so except in cases where tho oivneis of property adjoining the city boundary have entered into guuranteo with tho Fire Board 111 the event of fire, the brigade’s services can be obtained, provided they can be spared from the city. This, in my opinion, should disabuse the public of wioug impressions as to the responsibilities of tho Christchurch Fire Board.